Rubber match: UB visits Akron
History awaits in stadium finale
AKRON, Ohio — The Rolling Stones and Jefferson Airplane performed their arsenals of hits here. The Chicago Bears, coached by the iconic George Halas, dumped the Dallas Texans here in an NFL regular- season game in 1952.
These were the stomping grounds for Washington Redskins defensive end Jason Taylor, Buffalo Bills rookie defensive back Reggie Corner, and a number of others who progressed to the NFL.
Historical significance looms as the underlying current when the University at Buffalo and Akron (both 5-4, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) clash at 7 tonight in the final football game at the 68- year-old Rubber Bowl. And that’s a theme that sits fine with the Bulls, who are on a historically significant mission of their own.
A win tonight and UB gains inside position on its first MAC East title outright and a berth in the conference championship game. Lose and it’s likely the Bulls will find themselves hoping the division finishes in at least a three-way deadlock and the tiebreakers line up in their favor.
The Bulls were in a similar position last season before losses to Miami (Ohio) and Bowling Green left them in a tie for the division crown, with Miami holding the trump cards. That experience, coupled with the continued maturity of key personnel, has UB determined to get a grasp on the title that eluded it in 2007.
“They’ve been there and done that now,” said coach Turner Gill, whose team has never won in Akron. “They’ve been through that experience. They understand how they have to play a little bit better every single play.”
Last year’s run created giddy times for a Bulls team that rapidly ascended under Gill’s direction. And while rags to riches would have made for a compelling story, rare are the occasions when a downtrodden program beelines to prominence. The process typically requires incremental steps, such as those the Bulls made last year to get to where they’re at today.
“The fact that we’ve been through it last year really helps us to really feel like we’ve been there before,” said senior defensive end Ronald Hilaire. “It’s more of a business-type of mentality.”
At the skill positions the Bulls are a honed version of the team that last season overwhelmed the Zips, 26-10, in UB Stadium. Quarterback Drew Willy continues rewriting the record book as he nears the end of his four-year run at starter. Junior running back James Starks (Niagara Falls) and junior wideout Naaman Roosevelt (St. Joe’s) have been validated as elite-level players. Running back Brandon Thermilus enables Starks to take a breather with little decline in production, while wideouts Brett Hamlin and Ernest Jackson combine with tight end Jesse Rack to keep secondaries guessing.
“The challenge is the balance of that offense,” said Akron coach J. D. Brookhart. “You’ve got tremendous skill at quarterback, a guy who’s played a lot of football, who’s making great decisions. Smart kid, and he’s a challenge. Running back, I think they got a little bit of a two-headed monster with both of those kids. They’re both very good running backs. Roosevelt’s obviously a great player at receiver, but he’s not the only one they have. . . . It’s probably the most balanced effective offense in the league.”
The Zips were picked to finish last in the division this year, so surprise-surprise. But who knew that 5-foot- 10, 205-pound running back Dennis Kennedy, relegated to third on the depth chart, would transform opportunity created by injury into a senior season to remember? He’s amassed 612 yards, a 7.3 average and six touchdowns in the last three games, easing the burden on QB Chris Jacquemain.
“He’s very shifty and he hits the holes very quick so we’re just going to have to tackle well,” Hilaire said.
“We have to stop the run,” Gill said. “We have to stop Kennedy.”
The numbers suggest these are two teams that accentuate the offensive side of the ball at the expense of defense. Akron is allowing 28.4 points per game, UB 26.1. Truth is, these are two of the more opportunistic defenses in the country. Akron is tied for third in the nation with 14 fumble recoveries, the Bulls tied for sixth with 13. Bulls defensive back Domonic Cook (St. Joe’s) is second in the nation with four fumble recoveries, Akron DB Miguel Graham a step behind with three. Overall, the Bulls rank ninth in turnover margin, quite an accomplishment for a team with only six interceptions.
While turnovers could tilt the outcome heavily to one side, more likely the outcome will come down to the final quarter.
“It’s a heart attack waiting to happen each and every week,” Brookhart said. “They’re very explosive, so we’re going to have to keep up with them offensively. We understand that, but who knows how these things play out. It could be 2-0 for all I know.”
Maybe — off the opening kickoff.
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